| Regimes covered here | Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016; EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016; RoHS; Construction Products Regulation (outline only) |
| GB legal basis for CE recognition | The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/696), in force 1 October 2024 |
| Northern Ireland | EU rules for manufactured goods apply under the Windsor Framework. CE, or CE with UKNI |
| Guidance | Department for Business and Trade, with OPSS (Office for Product Safety and Standards) |
| New framework Act | Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 (2025 c. 20), Royal Assent 21 July 2025 |
| Related pages | UK CPR and UKCA (construction products), RoHS (GB and EU), REACH and UK REACH, WEEE |
Which regimes can apply to cabling products
A conformity marking is needed only where a sector regulation requires it. A product must comply with every regulation that applies to it before the marking is affixed. This page covers four regimes.
| Regime (EU / GB) | Scope | Position for cable and passive products |
|---|---|---|
| Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU / Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1101) | Electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of 50 to 1000 V AC or 75 to 1500 V DC | The Commission LVD Guide (August 2018) lists cables, cord sets and cable management systems as in scope. Voltage rating refers to the rated input or output voltage. Equipment rated outside the range is outside the LVD |
| EMC Directive 2014/30/EU / Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1091) | Apparatus and fixed installations, excluding equipment that is inherently benign | The Commission EMC Guide (April 2025) lists cables and cabling, and cable accessories considered separately, as inherently benign and excluded, provided they include no active electronic parts |
| RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU / RoHS Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/3032) | EEE up to 1000 V AC or 1500 V DC, including cables | Cables placed on the market separately need their own declaration and marking. See the RoHS page |
| Construction Products Regulation | Cables for permanent installation subject to reaction to fire requirements | Uses a Declaration of Performance, not a declaration of conformity. See the UK CPR and UKCA page |
The LVD Guide also notes that basic components designed to be incorporated into other electrical equipment, whose safety depends largely on how they are integrated, are not covered as such by the LVD. Its examples include electromechanical components such as connectors. Such components must not be CE marked under the LVD unless other legislation requires it.
Markings in Great Britain
- The government announced on 1 August 2023 and 24 January 2024 that recognition of CE marking would continue indefinitely for many products. The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 gave effect to this from 1 October 2024.
- The same Regulations allow Fast-Track UKCA: a product may carry UKCA where recognised EU requirements and conformity assessment have been met.
- UKCA conformity can be self-declared for all products under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, the EMC Regulations 2016 and the RoHS Regulations 2012.
- Until 11pm on 31 December 2027, the UKCA marking may be placed on a label affixed to the product or on an accompanying document, in most sectors. Construction products, medical devices and some other sectors have different rules.
- A product may carry both UKCA and CE if it complies with both sets of requirements and the markings are clearly visible.
Northern Ireland
- Under the Windsor Framework, adopted by the UK on 24 March 2023, relevant EU rules for manufactured goods apply in Northern Ireland.
- Products need the CE marking where EU rules require it.
- The UKNI marking is never used alone. It is added to the CE marking only where mandatory third-party assessment was done by a UK-based Northern Ireland notified body.
- Qualifying Northern Ireland goods with CE, or CE and UKNI, can be placed on the GB market.
Declaration of conformity and labelling
Government guidance lists typical contents of a declaration of conformity. The exact content is set by each sector regulation.
Manufacturers and importers must show their name, registered trade name or trade mark, and a postal address on the product. Where that is not possible, the legislation may allow the packaging or an accompanying document. For products imported from the EEA, and in some cases Switzerland, before 11pm on 31 December 2027, the importer’s details may be given on the packaging or an accompanying document. UKCA and CE markings must be at least 5 mm high unless a regulation says otherwise, and visible, legible and indelible.
Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025
Section 2(7) of the Act allows product regulations to treat a UK product requirement as met where a specified requirement of relevant EU law is met.
What it means in practice
- Under the Commission RoHS FAQ, external cables placed on the market separately need their own declaration of conformity and marking (see the RoHS page). LVD applies only if the cable is designed for a voltage rating within the LVD range.
- Passive cables and cable accessories without active electronics are outside the EMC regime according to the Commission EMC Guide. The GB EMC Regulations 2016 contain the same exclusion in regulation 3(2)(d).
- In GB, either UKCA or CE is accepted for the LVD, EMC and RoHS regimes. In Northern Ireland, CE is needed.